Linda Rellergert, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, St. Charles County, University of Missouri Extension

Missouri’s summertime combination of high heat and dripping humidity can deter even the most ardent devotees of fitness and prompt them to seek the coolness of indoor air conditioning. Total hibernation during hot weather, though, can set one on the path to an inactive lifestyle. A better way to stay active is to work around summer’s heat just as we do winter’s cold.

It is important, however, to pay attention to the weather and the effects of heat and humidity on the body. High heat and humidity can make exercising dangerous because many of the body’s cooling mechanisms can be overwhelmed under these conditions.

The Institute for Aerobic Research recommends adding the temperature and the percent humidity to calculate a heat stress index…